Warp slackener for looms



Dec; 28, 1937. H WAKEHELD 2,103,836

WARP SLACKENER FOR LOOMS Filed Dec. 14, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l E151 j F EEL h w 1-- In to Wane? n \x lsfiem Filed Dec. 14, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2I t 37 Waher YfikYeJd Attorne Dec. 28, 1937. w; H. WAKEFIELD WARPSLACKENER FOR LOOMS Patented Dec. 28, 1937 UNITED smrss PATENT OFFICE2,103,836 I WARP SLACKENER FOR LOOMS Walter H. Wakefield, Worcester,Mass., assignor to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass, acorporation of Massachusetts Application December 14, 1936, Serial No.115,713

10'Claims. (o1. 139-.20)

' of the slats and having extended between them 10,

, crossing webs will ordinarily bear a relation to supporting webs forthe slats. The space between the Width of the slats and occur at regularintervals throughout the length of the double pick. Between cross websthe crossing warps are woven into the tapes and at such times are leftoff from their separate warp beams at a rate substantially equal to theletting off of the main warps. When the warps are to be crossed,however, there is a momentary extra feed to supply the length to extendfrom one Web to the other.

The mechanisms heretofore proposed for the feeding of the crossing warpshave either been abrupt in their action in relieving the tension on thecrossing warps too quickly, or they have employed a multiplicity ofparts rendering their manufacture expensive and entailing considerableattention for their maintenance. It is an important object of my presentinvention to provide simple means for slackening these warps at a rateproportional to the advance of the lay by a simple mechanism which isthereafter effective to move the crossing Warp control or slackener barback to its normal rearward position.

It is a further object of my present invention to employ a singleactuator coupled with control mechanism therefor which will permit aquick warp slackening or advance feed on the slackener bar followed by aslow warp tightening return motion, both motions of the slackener barbeing accomplished by the single actuator.

It is another object of my present invention to provide a control forthe actuator which in addition to permitting the foregoing feed andreturn strokes of the slackener bar is also effective topermit asuccession of idle strokes of the actuator to occur between successivecrossings of the crossing warp.

It is a more particular object of my present invention to provide a cammoving ratchet actuated by a single pawl which in turn is controlled bya shield having three positions the first of which is neutral to permitthe pawl tohave idle motions with respect to the ratchet, the secondofwhich permits the pawl to give a relatively large feeding motion tothe ratchet to effect forward motion of the slackener bar, and the thirdposition of which permits the gradual return of the slackener bar byallowing a small part only of the stroke of the pawl to operate theratchet.

Another objectof my invention relates to control means for the shield tobe exercised by a counter mechanism and operative when an'indication isgiven by said mechanism to move the shield from the. first to the secondof the positions above described, thereby causing forward feed of thewarp through a shield controlled by the counter mechanism. The counterthereafter permits the shield to move toward neutral position, thismotion, however, not being complete due to a control exercised. by theslackener bar and effective to permit the gradual return motion ofitself by giving the shield the third of the previously describedpositions. The slackener bar acts as it approaches its rearmost ornormal position to permit the shield to return to neutral position.

With these and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, my invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein-a convenient embodiment of myinvention is set forth,

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a loom having my invention appliedthereto,

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic View of one form of counter mechanism forpositioning the controller for the actuator, Y

Fig. 3 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of the mechanism foractuatingthe cam which controls the slackener bar,

Figs. 4 and 5 are vertical sections on lines 4-4 and 5,5, respectivelyof Fig. 3, and

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are diagrammatic views showing the successive positionof the shield with V respect to the stroke of the actuator pawl andcorresponding to neutral, forward feed for the slackener bar, andgradual return of the slackener bar to rear position.

Referring to Fig. l, I have shown a loom frame I0 having a breast beamII and a lay l2 moved back and forth by a connector I-3 driven by a topshaft M. The lay has mounted thereon upper and lower decks ofpositively'moved shuttles l5 and I6, respectively, which by connectionsnot shown but well understood are driven through upper and lower shedsand I8, respectively, defined by the tape. forming warps Wand W, re-

spectively, which may be drawn in any approved manner from warp beamsnot shown and correspond to top and bottom tapes T and T, respectively.

The crossing warp C passes under and extends forwardly from a movableslackener bar is hung on arms 20 depending from and secured to a smallcross shaft 2! suitably mounted on the rear 'part of the loom frame it).The crossing warp extends forwardly in two sheets C and C for the topand bottom sheds, respectively.

Mounted on the breast beam is a structure designated generally at Ahaving a crossing warp advancer 22 which at the proper time is insertedbetween the top and bottom sheds and behind the crossings of the sheetsC and 0 after which said advancer is moved forwardly so that the pointof crossing between the sheets of crossing warps may be somewhat inadvance of the fells of the top and bottom webs. The structure A ofitself forms no part of my present invention and may if desired besubstantially the same as that shown in prior Patent No. 2,025,866. Asshown in that patent the advancer has a forward motion derived from thelay and moves forwardly there fore by a motion which is substantiallythe same as or at least proportional to the advance motion of the lay.During the forward motion of the advancer it is desirable to slacken thewarp C to relieve the same of undue strains and provide the necessarylength required for the crossing web.

The matter thus far described may be similar to structure set forth inthe aforesaid patent and operates substantially as described therein andas briefly set forth hereinbefore.

In order to effect the necessary forward feeding of the crossing warpsprovision is made for advancing the slackener bar l9 and to accomplishthis result the shaft 2! has secured thereto an arm 25 from whichdepends a rod 26 attached to a chain 2'3 extending around sheaves 28 andextending down to another rod 29 the lower end'of which is attached to acontrol lever 38 pivoted as at 3! to a cross girt 32 of the loom.

A roll 35 on the lever 30 is positioned for engagement with acontrolling cam 36 secured to a stub shaft 37 turning in bearing 38 asshown in Fig. 3 and normally at rest. The cam is adapted for rotation ina counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1 and has a high dwellarea 45) normally in engagement with the roll 35 and from which extendsan incline 4i terminating in a low dwell 52 which is approximately 90from the high dwell M). The cam has another high dwell 43 connected tothe low dwell 42 by means of a second incline 44 similar to but thereverse of incline 4!. The right side of the cam is similar to the lefthand side just described and it is to be understood that a half rotationof cam 36 corresponds to a complete cycle for the slackener bar.

When the parts are in the full line position shown in Fig. l the highdwell 40 operates to hold the slackener bar 49 in its rearmost position,but at the time of a crossing of warps c, the cam is given a one-quarterturn during which the roll 35 moves upwardly along the surface orincline 4| until it reaches the low dwell 42. This motion occurs whilethe lay is moving forwardly and is accomplished by a single motion ofthe control mechanism for the cam to be described hereinafter.Thereafter the cam is given step by step motions to depress the roll 35gradually until said roll is in contact with the other high dwell 43, atwhich time the cycle will be complete.

In carrying my present invention into effect I provide a three-positionshield which is under two separate controls the first of which isexercised by the pattern mechanism and the second of which is derivedfrom the slackener bar. The shield is of greater length than the strokeof the pawl which it controls and is movable to two different feedingpositions.

In carrying my invention more particularly into effect I provide a rod50 pivoted as at 5| to the lay which rocks around its axis 52. A pawlarm 53 is mounted loosely on shaft 3'! and has a slot 48 in which islocated a stud 49 at adjusted distance from shaft 37. The arm 53 isprovided with a feed pawl 54 which is urged toward the shaft 31 by alight spring 41. As the lay moves back and forth the pawl 54 will movearound the shaft 3?, being in r'earmost position when the lay is on backcenter and moving forwardly with the lay as the latter advances. While Ihave shown this particular means for actuating the pawl yet I do notwish to be limited thereto and it is to be understood that theproportions of the connections which drive the pawl'are such that thelatter is given approximately a 90 motion around the shaft 31.

The actuator pawl 54 is controlled by a shield 69, also pivoted looselyon shaft 3?. This shield is longer than the stroke of the pawl 54 and isnormally held in the neutral position shown in Figs. 1 and 4 by means ofa light spring 65 connected to the shield at one end and attached tofixed structure at the other end thereof. The spring tends normally tohold the shield to the left or in the position of Fig. 4 against a fixedbut adjustable stop 66. When the shield is in normal position the pawl54 is movable from position a, to position b, Fig. 6, remaining incontact with the shield throughout its stroke.

Secured to the shaft 3'! is a ratchet wheel 10 adapted for engagementwith the pawl 54, and when turned causing motion of the previouslydescribed cam 35. The shield lies over the upper part of the ratchetwheel and ordinarily prevents actuation thereof by the pawl.

In order that the shield may be moved from its neutral position Iprovide a connection from the counting mechanism shown in Fig. 2. Thismechanism includes a counter chain H having a single counter ball 12movable under a vibrator lever 13. The latter carries a vibrator gear 14attached to a connector 55 which in turn rocks a lever 76 pivoted at Tl.A flexible connection 18 is attached to the lever '16 and isconveniently trained around sheaves E9 to be connected to an arm $3 ofthe shield. The leverage is such that a rocking of lever 16 from oneextreme position to the other will move the shield through approximately90.

In order that the shield may have a feeding position I provide a controltherefor to be operated by the slackener bar. Accordingly, I pivot alever at 8B and use a spring 8] to turn the lever in a left handdirection as viewed in Fig. 1. An arm 88 bears against the rear of theslackener bar while a fixed stop 89 limits rocking of the lever underaction of spring 81 when the bar l9 moves forwardly, or to the left inFig. 1. A rod 90 attached to the lever 85 extends down through a bearing9| and normally lies above a stop moving with the shield.

In operation, when the roll 12 arrives under vibrator '13 there followsa rocking of lever Hi to the dotted line position with resultantmovement of the shield from the position of Fig. 6

to that of Fig. '7'.- This occurs just before the "lay reaches backcenter position. The pawl, therefore, drops to engage the ratchet and onthe following forward beatof the lay the ratchet and cam areturnedthrough about 90, permitting the slackener bar to move forwardlywith a slackening stroke under the pressure of warp c. The latter,therefore, feeds the required amount to permit the crossing of warps,

During the first part of themotion of bar I9 the lever rocks to depressrod 9!] into the path of stop 95. This does not interfere with the pawlmovement. In this interval the vibrator is still raised, hence theshield is held back in the position of Fig. 8.

On the following back stroke of the lay and be fore the latter reachesrear position, counter roll 72 will allow lever '13 to fall and lever itwill be returned to normal full line position of Fig. 2. This actionreleases the shield and spring 65 turns it toward neutral position, butrod 96, being a small part of the stroke of the pawl is effective toturn the ratchet.

The slackener bar remains forward and the rod depressed for severalbeats of the loom, during which the pawl effects a step-by-step turningof the cam to cause incline M to depress lever 30. The slackener bar [9is, therefore, given a slow gradual return or warp tightening motion tonormal rear position.

As the bar approaches its rear position it will engage'arm 88 of lever85 to lift rod 98 away from the stop 95, at which time the spring E5will act to complete the motion of the shield to the left,

the stop 66 acting to arrest the shield in its neutral position, asshown in Figs. 5 and 6.

permits the shield to move under and lift the pawl before the latterstarts the forward stroke immediately following the advance movement ofthe slackener bar. A repeated large feed of ratchet H3 at this time istherefore prevented, and there is no interference with the gradualreturn of the bar ES.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided means whereby asingle actuator in the form of a pawl is rendered effective first togive the ratchet wheel a relatively large slackening stroke to advancethe slackener bar, after which the same pawl effects a plurality ofsmaller step by step warp tightening movements of the ratchet to returnthe slackener bar to its normal rear position. This control is exercisedthrough a shield which is normally in position toprevent engagement ofthe pawl with the ratchet, but movable under influence of a countersurface to a position which will permit the greater part of the strokeof the pawl to turn the ratchet. It will further be seen that on thenext beat of the loom the counter mechanism releases the shield and thelatter moves toward neutral position but is restrained by a stoppositioned by movement of the slackener bar away from rear position.This stop holds the shield in such position as to permit the step bystep feeding of the ratchet until the bar approaches its rearmostposition, at which time lever 85 is rocked to remove the stop from thepath of the shield and the latter returns to normal neutral position tohold. the pawl idle with respect to the ratchet until another feedingmovement of the slackener bar is indicated by the counter mechanism.

Having thus described my invention it will be "seen that changes andmodifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit and scopeof the invention andI do not wish tobe limited to the.

details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In a loom having'a warp to be slackened, a

slackener having warp slackening and return actuator means to render thelatter effective to give the regulator a relatively quick large motionwhen the slackener is to have a slackening movement andveffective' togive the regulator a gradual slower movement when the slackener is tohave a return movement.

'2. In a loom having a warp to be slackened, a slackener for the warphaving slackening and return strokes, a regulator for the slackener tohave one movement when the slackener is to have a slackening stroke andanother movement when the slackener is to have a return stroke, a

single actuator for the regulator, and a controller for the actuatorhaving two positions in one of which said controller renders theactuator operative to give the regulator a relatively quick largemovement when the slackener is to have a slackening stroke and the otherposition of the controller effective to cause the actuator to give theregulator a relatively slow movement when the slackener is to have areturn stroke.

3. In a loom having a warp to be slackened, a slackener for the warphaving'warp slackening and return strokes, a regulator connected to anddetermining the motion of the slackener and having two differentmovements one of which occurs when the slackener is to have a slackeningstroke and the other of which occurs when the slackener is to have areturn stroke, an actuator to move the regulator, and a controllerinterposed between the actuator and the regulator and capable ofassuming two positions in one of which said controller renders theactuator effective to give the regulator a relatively quick largemovement when the slackener is to have a slackening stroke and the otherposition of the controller effective to render the actuator operative togive the regulator a gradual movement when the slackener is to have areturn stroke.

4. In a loom having a warp to be slackened, a slackener for the warphaving slackening and tightening strokes, a regulator connected to theslackener and determining the motion thereof, a ratchet moving with theregulator, a regularly moving pawl for the ratchet, and means to causethe pawl to give the ratchet and regulator a relatively large quickmotion when the slackener is to have a slackening stroke and said meanseffective thereafter to cause the pawl to give a series of relativelyshort turning impulses to the ratchet and regulator when the slackeneris to have a tightening stroke.

5. In a loom having a warp to be slackened, a slackener for the warphaving slackening and tightening strokes, a regulator connected to anddetermining the motion of the slackener and having slackening andtightening movements corresponding to the slackening and tighteningstrokes of the slackener, a ratchet moving with theregulator, a pawl tomove the ratchet and having a regular reciprocating motion, and a shieldfor the pawl to regulate engagement of the pawl with the ratchet, theshield when in one position rendering the pawl effective throughout themajor part of its slackening stroke to actuate the regulator when thelatter is to have a slackening stroke and said shield to have anotherposition to render the pawl operative to give the ratchet and regulatora series of movements each occurring during a relatively small portiononly of the slackening stroke of the pawl when a regulator and slackenerare to have tightening strokes.

6. In a loom having a warp to be slackened, a lay, a-slackener for thewarp having slackening and tightening strokes, a regulator for theslackener, an actuator for the regulator operated by the lay and havinga feeding stroke when the lay moves forwardly and a movable controllerfor the actuator and efiective when in one position to render theactuator effective during a single forward motion of the lay to give theregulator a relatively large motion to give the slackener a slackeningstroke and said controller when remaining in another position tothereafter render the actuator effective during each of a series ofsuccessive forward beats of the lay to give the regulator a gradualmotion and give the slackener a gradual tightening stroke.

'7. In a loom having a warp to be slackened, a lay, a slackener for thewarp to have slackening and tightening strokes, a regulator connected tothe slackener and determining the strokes thereof, a ratchet connectedto the regulator, a pawl for the ratchet operated by the lay and havinga slackening stroke when the lay moves forwardly, and a shield for thepawl, the shield in one position to render the pawl effective to givethe regulator and slackener a relatively large motion during a singleforward motion of the lay, and said shield when remaining in anotherposition to render the pawl effective during but a small portion of eachof a plurality of forward motions of the lay to actuate the regulatorand cause the slackener to have a tightening stroke.

8. In a loom having a warp to be slackened,

a slackener to have slackening, tightening and idle periods, a singleactuator to move the slackener during the slackening and tighteningperiods, counting mechanism, a controller for the actuator normallypositioned to render the latter inoperative with respect to theslackener during the idle period of said slackener, connections from thecounting mechanism to move the controller from normal position andrender the actuator effective to give the slackener a relatively largeslackening stroke, and means brought into action by the slackener toposition the controller so as to render the actuator eifective to givesaid slackener a series of relatively small strokes during thetightening period of said slackener.

9. In a loom having a warp to be slackened, a slackener havingslackening, tightening and idle periods, an actuator for the slackenernormally ineffective to move the latter during the idle periods thereof,counting mechanism, a controller for the actuator connected to andmovable by the counting mechanism to render the actuator effective togive the slackener a relatively large motion during slackening periodsthereof, and means moved by the slackener to determine the position ofthe controller and hold the latter in position to render the actuatoreffective during the tightening period to give the slackener a series ofshort successive strokes.

10. In a loom having warp to be slackened,

a slackener for the warp having slackening and tightening strokes,counting mechanism, a pawl having regular movements, control means forthe slackener to be actuated by the pawl, a shield for the pawl normallypositioned to render the I

